Trump warns ousted FBI Director Comey against "leaking to the press"

In his press briefing Friday morning (yes, he's still holding them), just hours after Trump's tweets, White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer refused to say whether the president had indeed recorded conversations with Comey (Democratic members of the House Judiciary Oversight Committee immediately requested copies of the tapes if they exist). Already Trump's decision appears to have emboldened the Senate intelligence committee investigating into Russia's election interference and the president's associates, with lawmakers announcing a subpoena for former national security adviser Michael Flynn.

Trump also tweeted Friday morning that "maybe the best thing to do would be to cancel all future "press briefings" and hand out written responses for the sake of accuracy", a remark he made after contradicting his press aides and other surrogates on his reasons for ousting Comey.

The US President sacked the under-fire director earlier this week, initially saying the FBI's handling of the Hilary Clinton email investigation a year ago was the reason for the dismissal.

Cornyn, the Senate majority whip, is the second-highest ranking Republican in the chamber, meaning his possible appointment would trigger political moves both there and in his home state of Texas.

Lee is one of almost a dozen candidates President Donald Trump is considering to succeed ousted FBI Director James Comey.

"I think the intelligence committees are the ones that should do this, because, don't forget that the methods and sources of our intelligence gathering are also at play here, and we have to be very sensitive so that we don't compromise that information as well", Ryan said. "Nearly all of them are very well-known", Trump said aboard the plane that took him to Lynchburg, Virginia, where he gave the commencement address at Liberty University.

It's an apparent reaction to press reports that Trump hosted a private dinner with Comey at the White House back in January at which Trump asked for his loyalty-according to USA media Comey promised only honesty.

"I am going to be focused on continuing the investigation that I think has a tremendous amount of credibility in Washington", Burr said.

As has happened on previous occasions since Trump took office, different versions rapidly circulated of an event - in this case phone conversations between Comey and Trump and a dinner they had at the White House. The FBI has never had a female director. Declining comment on a Garland nomination, Schumer left open the possibility that Democrats might withdraw support for a new Federal Bureau of Investigation director unless the Justice Department names a special prosecutor.

At least eight candidates for the bureau's top spot headed to the Department of Justice on Saturday to interview for the position, which was vacated when James Comey was sacked this week. Republicans hold 52 seats in the chamber to Democrats' 48.

"Boy it's been quite a week", Warner said.

Some Democrats have argued that Trump's firing of Comey was linked to the FBI's expansion of the Russian probe.

New York University's Timothy Naftali says that since then, presidents have learned not to tape Oval Office conversations.

Trump abruptly fired Comey on Tuesday and later said Comey was a "showboat" and "grandstander" who was not doing a good job, drawing a firestorm of criticism.

The White House initially said Trump fired Comey on the recommendation of the top Justice Department officials: Attorney General Jeff Sessions and Rosenstein.

DOJ Spokeswoman Sarah Isgur Flores said since then that this claim is "totally false".